Download or read book Forever Flying written by Robert A. Hoover and published by Beyond Words/Atria Books. This book was released on 1996 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fifty years of high-flying adventures, from barnstorming in prop planes to dogfigting Germans to testing supersonic jets.
Download or read book In the Cockpit with Bob Hoover written by Di Freeze and published by . This book was released on 2013-02-28 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Cockpit with Bob Hoover is the second volume in Passion for Flight, a series of short biographies regarding notable pilots who inspire young and old alike to take to the skies. Hoover was shot down on Feb. 9, 1944, and spent 15 years as a prisoner of war. He was later assigned to Wright Field as a test pilot and served as Chuck Yeager's backup pilot for the X-1 program. He left the military in 1948, joined General Motor's Allison Division as a test pilot, and later tested and demonstrated airplanes for North American Aviation/Rockwell International. He flew popular aerobatic demonstrations in airplanes including a Shrike Commander 500S and well-known P-51. In more than 50 years of flying, the legendary air show pilot performed aerobatics in more airplane types, events and countries, and before more people, than anyone in the history of aviation.
Download or read book The X planes written by Jay Miller and published by Crown. This book was released on 1988 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating review of the record-breaking experimental aircraft of the future currently being built and tested by the U.S. Air Force and NASA. The X-Planes, drawing on recently declassified information, is the first comprehensive book on the experimental aircraft. 335 photos and 30 scale drawings.
Download or read book Fighter Pilot written by Christina Olds and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2010-04-13 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fighter Pilot is the memoir of legendary ace American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force, Robin Olds. Robin Olds was a larger-than-life hero with a towering personality. A graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army, Olds was one of the toughest college football players at the time. In WWII, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22—and an ace with 12 aerial victories. But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend. He arrived in 1966 to find a dejected group of pilots and motivated them by placing himself on the flight schedule under officers junior to himself, then challenging them to train him properly because he would soon be leading them. Proving he wasn't a WWII retread, he led the wing with aggressiveness, scoring another four confirmed kills, becoming a rare triple ace. Olds, who retired a brigadier general and died in 2007, was a unique individual whose personal story presents one of the most eagerly anticipated military books in recent memory. Please note: This ebook edition does not include the photo insert from the print edition.
Download or read book Camel Pilot Supreme written by Annette Carson and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2019-08-15 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Annette Carson has done a wonderful job of chronicling Armstrong’s life, flight training and ultimate recognition as the undisputed master of aerobatics.” —Over the Front Initially forbidden as foolhardy, stunt flying soon became a paramount method of survival in the life and death mêlées of dogfighting. But pilots still delighted in the joy and exuberance of aerobatting for its own sake, and they recognized a master of that very special skill in young D’Urban Victor Armstrong, whose displays were nothing short of electrifying. Fluid and dramatic, performed with flair at ultra-low level, his exhibitions left spectators shaking their heads in disbelief. Until this book, little was known about Armstrong’s wartime experiences, and even less about his South African background. His great value to the authorities lay in his superb handling of the Sopwith Camel, which upon its introduction had taken a heavy toll in fatal trainee accidents. While still on active service, Armstrong was sent around the units providing vivid proof that, properly handled, the stubby little fighter delivered the key to combat success: unrivaled maneuverability. His resultant fame eclipsed his other distinguished role in pioneering night flying and night fighting, an equally vital skill he was also detailed to demonstrate around the squadrons. In this “superb biography,” you will find yourself in the cockpit of the F.1 Camel and become acquainted with its rotary engine (Stand To!). You will meet many leading names including Billy Bishop, Cecil Lewis, Norman Macmillan, Robert Smith Barry, and the harum-scarum Three Musketeers from War Birds. Armstrong takes his place alongside them as one of the legendary figures of the first great aerial war.
Download or read book Lucky Me written by Stacy T. Geere and published by . This book was released on 2010-07-01 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Beyond Blue Skies written by Christopher J. Petty and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2020-11 with total page 523 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1945 some experts still considered the so-called sound barrier an impenetrable wall, while winged rocket planes remained largely relegated to science fiction. But soon a series of unique rocket-powered research aircraft and the dedicated individuals who built, maintained, and flew them began to push the boundaries of flight in aviation's quest to move ever higher, ever faster, toward the unknown. Beyond Blue Skies examines the thirty-year period after World War II during which aviation experienced an unprecedented era of progress that led the United States to the boundaries of outer space. Between 1946 and 1975, an ancient dry lakebed in California's High Desert played host to a series of rocket-powered research aircraft built to investigate the outer reaches of flight. The western Mojave's Rogers Dry Lake became home to Edwards Air Force Base, NASA's Flight Research Center, and an elite cadre of test pilots. Although one of them--Chuck Yeager--would rank among the most famous names in history, most who flew there during those years played their parts away from public view. The risks they routinely accepted were every bit as real as those facing NASA's astronauts, but no magazine stories or free Corvettes awaited them--just long days in a close-knit community in the High Desert. The role of not only the test pilots but the engineers, aerodynamicists, and support staff in making supersonic flight possible has been widely overlooked. Beyond Blue Skies charts the triumphs and tragedies of the rocket-plane era and the unsung efforts of the men and women who made amazing achievements possible.
Download or read book Black Wings written by William J. Powell and published by . This book was released on 1934 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book To Fly and Fight written by Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2017-05-12 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bud Anderson is a flyers flyer. The Californians enduring love of flying began in the 1920s with the planes that flew over his fathers farm. In January 1942, he entered the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program. Later after he received his wings and flew P-39s, he was chosen as one of the original flight leaders of the new 357th Fighter Group. Equipped with the new and deadly P-51 Mustang, the group shot down five enemy aircraft for each one it lost while escorting bombers to targets deep inside Germany. But the price was high. Half of its pilots were killed or imprisoned, including some of Buds closest friends. In February 1944, Bud Anderson, entered the uncertain, exhilarating, and deadly world of aerial combat. He flew two tours of combat against the Luftwaffe in less than a year. In battles sometimes involving hundreds of airplanes, he ranked among the groups leading aces with 16 aerial victories. He flew 116 missions in his old crow without ever being hit by enemy aircraft or turning back for any reason, despite one life or death confrontation after another. His friend Chuck Yeager, who flew with Anderson in the 357th, says, In an airplane, the guy was a mongoosethe best fighter pilot I ever saw. Buds years as a test pilot were at least as risky. In one bizarre experiment, he repeatedly linked up in midair with a B-29 bomber, wingtip to wingtip. In other tests, he flew a jet fighter that was launched and retrieved from a giant B-36 bomber. As in combat, he lost many friends flying tests such as these. Bud commanded a squadron of F-86 jet fighters in postwar Korea, and a wing of F-105s on Okinawa during the mid-1960s. In 1970 at age 48, he flew combat strikes as a wing commander against communist supply lines. To Fly and Fight is about flying, plain and simple: the joys and dangers and the very special skills it demands. Touching, thoughtful, and dead honest, it is the story of a boy who grew up living his dream.
Download or read book Mr Mig written by Paul T. Entrekin and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2012-07-11 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As indicated by the subtitle, “The Real Story of the First MiGs in America”, this is a collection of stories that offer, for the first time, a concise depiction of many first-hand accounts of how these jets were acquired. In addition to historical facts and figures dating to the inception of the Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, substantial effort has been taken to expose myths and bring to light facts that are significant and important regarding how, where, when and why the MiG aircraft were obtained and who obtained them. In addition to the history of the MiG jet’s inception, the modern day stories of the people in America that acquired them are no less intriguing. As a bonus, you’ll learn of the experiences of the first person to own and operate a MiG in the United States and the free world including a peek into the arena of airshow flying.
Download or read book Black Wings written by Von Hardesty and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2008-01-22 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Colin Powell once observed that "a dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work." This sentiment is mirrored dramatically in the story of African Americans in aerospace history. The invention of the airplane in the first decade of the twentieth century sparked a revolution in modern technology. Aviation in the popular mind became associated with adventure and heroism. For African Americans, however, this new realm of human flight remained off-limits, a consequence of racial discrimination. Many African Americans displayed a keen interest in the new air age, but found themselves routinely barred from gaining training as pilots or mechanics. Beginning in the 1920s, a small and widely scattered group of black air enthusiasts challenged this prevailing pattern of racial discrimination. With no small amount of effort—and against formidable odds—they gained their pilot licenses and acquired the technical skills to become aircraft mechanics. Over the course of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, African Americans have expanded their participation in both military and civilian aviation and space flight, from the early pioneers and barnstormers through the Tuskegee airmen to Shuttle astronauts. Featuring approximately two hundred historic and contemporary photographs and a lively narrative that spans eight decades of U.S. history, Black Wings offers a compelling overview of this extraordinary and inspiring saga.
Download or read book The Rogue Aviator written by Ace Abbott and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2009-07 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This improbable aviation adventure will take you on a thirty-six year journey from five-star hotels to back alleys and greasy cargo ramps. Join the author, Ace Abbott, on a roller coaster ride of an aviation career, as he transitions from hobnobbing with international icons, like Jimmy Buffett, to bartering in order to get some critical jet fuel. The author s primary source of motivation in writing his story is the desire to share a wonderful adventure with pilots of all backgrounds who have had similar careers and to inform aspiring pilots of the unique nuances of an aviation career. Twenty-five employers later, you will get to ride on Ace's final flight in a 727 while you gain insight into the potential catastrophe of a pilot s brief but potentially fatal inattention. This aviation exposé will introduce the reader to aspects of aviation never before seen from the previously unexplored dark side of commercial aviation. The secondary theme of this book is very relevant to the current front and center news topic of aviation safety. Included in The Rogue Aviator is an insider s look at commercial aviation and the FAA. With today s focus on aviation safety and the role of the FAA to insure our safety in the air, the author addresses his thoughts on these vital areas.
Download or read book Fate is the Hunter written by Ernest K. Gann and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 1986-07-02 with total page 421 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An episodic log of some of the author's more memorable hours aloft in peace and as a member of the Air Transport Command in war.
Download or read book Air Force Combat Units of World War II written by Maurer Maurer and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 1961 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Naked Pilot written by David Beaty and published by Crowood. This book was released on 2011-09-16 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Investigations into the causes of aircraft accidents have for decades focused on what happened and who did it -- very rarely Why? It is the question Why? that David Beaty has addressed here, fighting the misnomer of 'pilot error' and propounding that the cause should be sought deeper inside human beings who make apparently simple human errors. The Naked Pilot makes fascinating and compulsive reading. It should be compulsory reading for all trainee and experienced pilots alike, as well as air traffic controllers, corporate managers and aircraft manufacturers. -- Business Aviation
Download or read book Viper Pilot Enhanced Edition written by Dan Hampton and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2012-10-02 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Get inside the cockpit with Dan Hampton, the military’s most decorated F-16 pilot, in this enhanced e-book edition of Viper Pilot. Exclusive to this edition are 11 video interviews, where Hampton talks candidly about his time as a Wild Weasel and about the fighter jet that kept him alive through so many dangerous skirmishes. In addition, an interactive “first-person” cockpit diagram lets you get deeper into the action, providing a visual companion to the book that leaves you feeling like you’re sitting in the iconic F-16 itself. 151 combat missions 21 hard kills on surface-to-air-missile sites 4 Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor 1 Purple Heart Sure to rank as one of the greatest aviation memoirs ever written, Viper Pilot is an Air Force legend's thrilling eyewitness account of modern air warfare. From 1986 to 2006, Lt. Col. Dan Hampton was a leading member of the Wild Weasels, the elite Air Force fighter squadrons whose mission is recognized as the most dangerous job in modern air combat. Weasels are the first planes sent into a war zone, flying deep behind enemy lines purposely seeking to draw fire from surface-to-air missiles and artillery. They must skillfully evade being shot down—and then return to destroy the threats, thereby making the skies safe for everyone else to follow. Today these vital missions are more hazardous than direct air-to-air engagement with enemy aircraft. Hampton's record number of strikes on high-value targets make him the most lethal F-16 Wild Weasel pilot in American history. This is his remarkable story. Taught to fly at an early age by his father, Hampton logged twenty years and 608 combat hours in the world's most iconic fighter jet: the F-16 "Fighting Falcon," or "Viper" as its pilots call it. Hampton spearheaded the 2003 invasion of Iraq, leading the first flight of fighters over the border en route to strike Baghdad. In the war that followed, he engaged in a series of brilliantly executed missions that earned him three Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor; he notably saved a U.S. Marine unit from certain death by taking out the surrounding enemy forces near Nasiriyah. Two years earlier, on 9/11, Hampton's father was inside the Pentagon when it was attacked; with his dad's fate unknown, Hampton was scrambled into American skies and given the unprecedented orders to shoot down any unidentified aircraft. Hampton also flew critical missions in the first Gulf War, served on the Air Combat Command staff during the Kosovo War, and was injured in the 1996 Khobar Towers terrorist attack. With manned missions rapidly giving way to remote-controlled UAV drones, Viper Pilot may be the last memoir by a true hero of the skies. Gripping and irreverently humorous, it is an unforgettable look into the closed world of fighter pilots and modern air combat. Please note that due to the large file size of these special features this enhanced e-book may take longer to download then a standard e-book.
Download or read book Hero written by Brian Nolan and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
